Self-disinfecting arrangement



Oct. 31, 1950 R. PAGEL SELF-DISINFECTING ARRANGEMENT.

Filed Nov. 9, 1944 Peder! pgeZ,

By and Patented Oct. 31, 1950 SELF-DISENFECTING ARRANGEMENT Robert Pagel, Washington, D. C. I

Application November'9, 1944, Serial No. 562,688

This invention relates to disinfecting arrangements and it has for its main objects to provide ,means permitting a permanent self-disinfection of objects 'of all types which are in use at places accessible to the public and, therefore, used by many persons in succession. I

It is a well-known fact that all places accessible to the public are a permanent source for the transmission of diseases and infections caused by bacteria viruses germs, fungi and other microorganism. isome infections and diseases are transmitted exclusively by direct contact. Nevertheless protection against such infection is left to the individual although suchindividual protection is practically impossible in many cases. The reason for the failure of private and public establishments, public institutions and operators of public conveyances to provide adequate protection against transmission of infection and diseases is mainly due to the lack of a practical arrangement furnishing a permanent and efiicient protection which is inconspicuous so as not to attract attention, thereby rendering the public conscious of the danger and does not interfere with the usual use or looks of the objects to be protected.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide an arrangement which will permit permanent and efiicient self-disinfection of such objects in an inconspicuous fashion and which will neither interfere with the normal use nor with the normal looks of the objects used by the public.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an arrangement which will remain effective 1 for a sufficient time, so that it can, without difficulty, be maintained in good order when properly attended to at intervals.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an arrangement of the type specified which 1 is simple and inexpensive as well as efiicient and which will not entail high maintenance costs.

With these and many other objects in View which will be apparent from the detailed specification which follows, the invention consists essentially in the provision of any empty space either created by special design in the object to be protected itself, for instance in the hollow interior of a recess or cavity in the door which is closed by a plate and connected by holes or openings with the surface coming in touch with the hands of the public and which is filled with absorbent material storing a quantity of a slowly evaporating disinfectant.

The invention is described more specifically 1 Claim. (01. 21-61) vwith reference to the" accompanyin drawings, but it is to be understood that the various modifications shown are mere examples intended to illustrate'the invention and not to limit its scope.

"It will be quite obvious to persons skilled in the art that all the details shown may be varied without in any wa departing from the essence of the invention or from its scope as defined in the claims.

It will moreover be obvious that other uses and applications than those here enumerated will suggest themselves to the expert which are essentially derived from the general idea here described. The description of the applications of the invention is, therefore, one merely treating characteristic examples, rather than one attempting an enumeration of the possible applications.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a door provided with a self-disinfecting push plate.

Figure 2 is a cross section through a section of the door illustrated in Figure 1 on an enlarged scale showing the arrangement of the push plate and of the cavity containing the disinfectant.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a door with a self-disinfecting door knob.

Figure 4 is an elevational view.

Figure 5 is a sectional view Of the self-disinfecting door knob.

As seen from the figures, the invention may be carried into effect by housing the disinfecting arrangement within the objects to be protected and by covering the surfaces, which have to be handled, with self-disinfecting surfaces.

The method is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 in which doors with self-disinfecting appliances are illustrated.

The self-closing door l2 (Figure 1) is provided with a push plate I3 which is shown in detail in Figure 2. The door stile I4 is provided with a cavity 15 which is covered by the said push plate, and which is filled with a fluid absorbing spongy or cellulosic material I6 which is impregnated with a slowly evaporating disinfectant. The push plate It is provided with a series of holes I! through which the liquid or the vapors may escape. The vapors escaping through said holes will disinfect a certain zone to a sufficient extent so that the push plate is kept free of bacteria and germs.

The disinfectant and the absorbing filling is replaced by removing the push plate attached to the stile [4 by means of screws l9. Where a special opening for the mere refilling operation is desirable, a special opening in the plate or an opening in the door closed by a plug (not shown) may be provided.

In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, a self-disinfecting door knob 26 is provided, the latter being the part which is continuously handled by the public. The said door knob is of the usual shape and is hollow or is provided with a cavity 21 filled with the absorbent, spongy or cellulosic material 16 impregnated with or retaining the disinfectant. A, number of holes or openings 22 in the surface of the door knob permits the escape of the disinfecting fluid or vapor. By arranging the holes or openings in the proper way the entire surface usually touched by the hands of persons opening or closing the door may be efficiently disinfected.

The door knob 29 is attached to the door in the customary way by means of a cylindrical sleevelike neck 25 which is slid over the pin 23 connected with the door latch.

Refilling of the charge and also renewal of the absorbent substance atlong intervals may be performed by detaching the knob 20 from the supporting pin 23 whereby the hollow interior of the knob ibecomes accessible. Again if a special refilling opening for the disinfectant is desirable the knob may be provided with a special filling opening 2! closed by a plug in the shape of a refilling screw 28.

In many cases, as already stated, it is difiicult, impossible or uneconomic to provide a special handle, plate or other self-disinfecting operational means. In this case a self-disinfectant arrangement may be formed by covering the handle, bar, or other operational means 'by a covering plate or sleeve providing a cavity filled with an absorbent material for holding and storing the disinfectant and itself provided with the openings permitting the escape of the disinfectant fluid or vapors.

The adaptation of the present invention to uses other than those mentioned is within the province of the invention and that changes and variations due to such adaptation do not constitute a departure from the essence of the invention.

What I claim is:

A door having a sanitary and self-disinfecting arrangement for a door opening push panel comprising an elongated cavity in said door filled with absorbent porous material adapted to contain a liquid disinfectant, and a perforated push plate received in the door panel closing the elongated cavity so as to be in operative contact with said absorbent material.

ROBERT PAGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 649,062 Levett May 8, 1900 743,340 Simundt Nov. 3, 1903 1,141,178 Fenn June 1, 1915 1,491,780 Abbott Apr. 29, 1924 1,515,600 Kornas Nov. 18, 1924 1,552,082 Riley Sept. 1, 1925 2,044,904 I-Ieisig June 23, 1936 

